Opera Books

THE OPERA

EDITED BY
ALBERT HILLERY BERGH

VOLUME IV.

1909

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Caryll.

     Ivan Caryll, a native English composer of light operas, spent many years of his early life in Paris. The serious beginning of his musical career began with the production of his first comic opera, The Lily of Leoville, produced in London in 1886. This was followed by Monte Cristo, Jr., in 1886; Jubiliation, in 1887, and Warranted Burglar-proof. In 1889 Caryll was conductor at the Lyric Theatre, where Love’s Trickery, by Caryll and Bridgemann, was produced.
     Little Christopher Columbus, an exceedingly successful piece, was put on at the Lyric in 1893. Since then Caryll has written the music to The Circus Girl, A Runaway Match, The Girl from Paris, and Lucky Star.

The Girl from Paris.

     Opera in two acts by Caryll. Libretto by George Dance.
     Characters: Mr. Ebenezer Honeycomb; Mrs. Honeycomb; Korab; Major Fossdyke; Amos Dingle; Tom Everleigh; Hans; Gretchen; Ruth; M. Anguste Pompier; Mile. Julie Bon-Bon.
     Place, England and Switzerland. Time, Nineteenth Century. First produced at London in 1896. {188}
     Mr. Honeycomb, a saint at home and a sinner abroad, is very gay during a trip to Paris, and Mlle. Julie Bon-Bon, of that gay city, sues him for breach of promise. Honeycomb, in dread of his wife’s anger, takes himself off to Switzerland and is reported drowned.
     The supposed widow of Honeycomb seeks his remains, accompanied by a sympathetic friend, Major Fossdyke, and the late lamented Honeycomb, who runs across them in Switzerland, rises in assumed virtuous wrath, and turns the table on his virtuous but injudicious spouse.

Last updated April 19, 2007